Secrets Never Told
by xxCayZxx
Summary: Ben and Abigail have been happily married and finally have a child of their own. A Son, William Clark Gates, a 14 year old soccer playing, history loving, smart aleck When Ian comes back as his new American History teacher, can Ben save his son from him?
1. Chapter One and Chapter Two

"Will, you coming to practice tonight?" Jason was yelling from the bus window as I started my route home from Washington Junior High School.

"I'm thinking about it…" The breeze whipped my long bangs from in front of my eyes. He just nodded and waved after that, he did live on the other side of D.C. so the bus went one way, I went the other. The president's daughter was pulling out in her Secret service transport. They slowed when they got to me. Her back window rolled down, revealing her sandy blonde hair; green eyes and perfect smile. Unlike most of her surrounding friends; Claire, daughter of head of the CIA; Hannah, offspring to the FBI's head and of course Julie, the vice president's daughter; she was more natural. We had been lab partners a few times…course who knows where that could take anybody.

"Hi Will."

"Hey Stephanie, don't you think you might be slowing down America by slowing down to talk to me?" She giggled a bit, she saw where I was coming from; she told the boys to pull over and she got out. The fall breeze caught her hair a bit; I could see Mike, current football captain watching from his window.

"I wanted to ask in science but didn't get the chance; by any chance would your mom and dad be willing to attend the President's Ball? I mean of course you can come if you want." She wanted me to come…her eyes pleaded as she said it.

"I'll ask them. I'll see you later." She brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Yea, see you later Will." I pushed open the gate and headed down the driveway. Dad's Escape and Mom's Beamer were there. Riley's Ferrari was pulled around more to the side. He protected the thing with his life.

"I'm home!" I dropped my bag at the door and headed into the kitchen, which dropped off into the living room; where Riley was in the leather chair in the corner, surfing his laptop and Dad was standing at the kitchen table looking from his laptop screen to a parchment paper under a sheet of glass. Mom was warming something in the microwave no more then probably 15 feet away from Dad.

"Hey Will, how was school?" No matter how busy they all were doing something, Mom always asked the same question.

"Fine, World history Mr. Collins assigned an essay…asking us to explain how treasure is for pirates not the American colonist. Got a double period detention for telling him how illogical it was for him to jump to the conclusion that treasure in American history didn't exist. He threatened to call you…I then told him you would agree with me. Mrs. Washington; gave us a week off Early European Works, Ms. Jackson told us that Lincoln's address was successful; and we met Mr. Howe today." Dad stopped. Mom froze in her place and Riley looked up. I raised an eyebrow. "What? He's just an older guy, blonde hair, British accent…he seemed fascinated with my last name," I headed over to the stainless steel fridge and pulled out the last can of Mountain Dew. "He seemed oddly familiar too." Dad shook his head a few times and stood to his full height.

"Will, can you tell us what he talked about…"

"He went on and on about how the British treasure hunters were always beat out by Americans; then talked a lot about the President's Book of Secrets. For some reason he thought there were two copies, saying one wasn't in presidential possession." Mom still hadn't moved. Riley finally spoke up.

"Ben, you think he's?" Course, Riley jumped straight into code with Dad.

"He knows…" he looked at Mom, concerned, quickly they all looked to me.

"Who's in your class, it's important to know."

"Well, me, Jason, Hannah, Claire, Julie, Zane, Zeke, Olivia, West, Mike, Frank, Nelly, Zoe who loves Danny, and Stephanie." I glanced to Riley, and then across to Dad, who now seemed overly concerned. "Stephanie is the President's daughter…if that impacts anything." Mom braced herself against the island in the center of the kitchen.

"Abigail…get in contact with the First Lady…it's time we talk a bit."

"Dad, there's a presidential ball tonight; Steph invited us, just talk there." He glared at me this time.

"Will…there is something I should have told you awhile ago." He ran his fingers through the little hair he had. "Mr. Howe; or Ian…" As if on cue, a gun shot rang out from the front of the house. I turned around.

"William Gates…how did I know you were related to him? You do have your mother's looks." He turned his gun, on a now distressed, helpless Mom.

"BEN!" Dad now stood next to me as Riley was being dragged up next to Mom. "Ben…please, take Will and run!" Mr. Howe jabbed the gun hard into Mom's side.

"Shush Abby…I have no intentions in hurting the boy at this time…course that can change if he doesn't listen. Mr. Collins was telling me of his defiance, proudly inherited from his father." He looked slyly down at me. "Come here Will…" I reluctantly moved toward him, anger showing on my face so it could overpower the fear I had for my family. "Get me…your father's copy of the Presidential Book…"

"I don't know where that is, let alone he had one." Ian didn't like it when I smarted off.

"Find it then…or your mother and father will die." I turned to look at once confident Dad…whose eyes had filled with worry, fear and hatred. A gun cocked at an angle so if the trigger was pulled, the bullet would bury itself in his head kept him from moving.

"Top drawer, 1747, Booth Diary." I knew what it meant, my dad riddling me off the code to his office, which in English meant: book is in the top drawer of his desk; 1747, meaning Ian wanted page 47 and whatever was on it; and Booth Diary meaning the page was pulled from the actually book like the missing pages of John's diary so we honestly didn't have it. Dad wanted me to give him the book though…or he would have mentioned Boston Tea Party…which would have been dump the book and let us die. I came down from his office…which was an interesting place in itself and handed him the book. He signaled his men to let Mom, Dad and Riley go but pulled my wrist and held a gun to the side of my head.

"Ian! Let the boy go…he's done nothing to you." Dad was right…so far I had a clean slate with this man.

"I need a bargaining chip Ben; if you don't have what I need or do what I say…you will never see your son again…" I pulled against him only to get the barrel pressed hard into my skull. "I'll see you in the near future Gates." He roughly dragged me out of the house and forced me to stand up against his get away van.

"Your father wouldn't want to lose you, Will. You're too damn precious to him for him not to listen." The butt of the gun was quickly slammed into the side of my head and I collapsed. The last thing I heard was my mother's scream and sob as I lay limp in the man's arms.

_Ben POV_

They tossed Will into the back of the truck, Abby cried into Riley's shoulder as I stormed towards Ian, spinning him to face me.

"Let my son go…" The growl was intense but Ian quickly countered.

"No…the boy is my ticket into your power Ben." I lashed out at him, catching his upper lip. He slammed the gun into me like he did Will, I shook it off.

"Your son clearly hasn't learned from you." Ian hit me again; knocking me out this time…I found a faded picture of my son, angry and scared looking back at me. His shaggy blonde hair in his eyes, his icy blue eyes, his Hollister polos and his American Eagle jeans…not to mention the same Abercrombie sweatshirt he always wore. The spark in his heart and the trait all his teachers couldn't stand; his defiance they called it…not defiance…it was purely the passion he had inherited from me.

_Will POV_

Ian sat in the back of his SUV watching me. We were far from D.C. by now. I wasn't going to see Stephanie and I wasn't going to take Mr. Collin's world history exam the next day. I groaned in antagonizing pain to the head, my hair drenched in my own fearful sweat, my muscles restricted to move with the rope holding my wrists together; keeping me from using my CIA self-defense Jason had taught me. Ian's eyes sneered into my as I opened them.

"Your mother's eyes too…" He tossed my hair a little and I pulled away. "You barely resemble Ben…the eyes and the strength maybe…" Ian had on thing I didn't know about…and that was a daughter.

"Daddy?" She was a brat no older then me…she looked like her father too.

"Yes Abigail?" The smirk on his face grew; She looked nothing like my mother.

"Do I get time with…him…?" He simply nodded and the boys pulled into a rest stop/diner. They all got out, leaving me and so called Abigail alone. She watched me, eyeing my Fox hoodie and stained soccer t-shirt.

"What do you want…?" I growled as she leaned a little closer to me. My eyes were intense in darker settings…just like Dad's…and the stormy weather and the night falling made them almost twice as dangerous.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes." I did consider Stephanie my girlfriend…as she considered me her boyfriend…you could say we were dating…I guess. Abigail pulled a familiar bag from under the seat. It was mine. She pulled item after item out.

"Hmmm…pocket knife…at school?" I glared up at her.

"Soccer practice." She still looked confused.

"Sounds more like troubled teen to me-"

"It's my father's…he gave it to me if I ever got into a problem." She sneered.

"Looks like you're in one. Look at this beauty!" My notebook was pulled out. My friends had signed it of course…Stephanie took plenty of time graffti-ing it science class…our favorite picture lay under the protective cover. We were at the Washington Monument lying in the grass in front of the magnificent lake. Dad had been only a couple feet away with Riley…walking to Library of Congress. We were both smiling ear to ear. Abigail's eyes danced between my tied, beat up form and to the picture.

"The President's daughter? You? A Treasure hunter's son?" She laughed and punched me. I moaned afterward, considered she had just hit the same spot the gun had made contact.

"You're…a treasure hunter's daughter…" I received another nasty blow.

"Yes…but never taught the art…simply told to learn how to ruin a good American government…and to always hate the Gates family." I strained lightly on the rope holding my wrist. If I was to escape…it would be as she's putting my things back into my bag; like she was now. My fingertips almost had the knot…when the rope fell silently against the seat I made my move. I elbowed Abigail in the side of the head…she screamed as her head made contact with the window. I pitched a gun at the back window and dove through the broken glass. I hit the pavement hard as I rolled a few times before getting up; my backpack on my back as I sprint towards to woods along the interstate. Her scream had brought Ian out of the diner and blazing in anger. He had his gun drawn and firing at my run. He chased of course, making it interesting. Eventually I dove under a large log and buried myself with leaves like any good hunter did when trying to shot a deer. Only this time…I was being the smart deer trying not to be hunted. His breath was short and ragged at times. He walked all around me, expecting some movement. His foot finally found the right place and pressed hard into my hand…I had to clench my teeth and purse my lips to keep from screaming.

"He can't be far…" A beep came from my pocket. _Damn…thought I shut that thing off._ "Look harder and kick some leaves around…he's here somewhere." They brushed about and kicked twigs in places. The engine of Riley's Spyder pulling up was a sign of relief. Ian was inches away from my body but kicked anyway…I grunted and groaned, rolling over violently. "Ah…prize in won." Dad ran toward me, weaponless but the anger on his face scared even me. Ian roughly pulled me up against him, hand grasped firmly in my hair exposing my throat…the pistol pressing hard into it.


	2. Chapter Three

I felt my words get caught in the little spot in your throat where the answers to so many math questions get lost in. Ian didn't seem to care how much pain he caused me…or who he hurt to make sure I suffered. His eyes darted around like a mad man. Riley looked scared and Dad looked like he was going to explode. I couldn't relax or try and look not scared. I was. I could have probably peed my pants in fear, though Riley looked as if he had already beaten me to it.

"Page 47 Ben, or you will seriously have to pick your son's head up off the ground." My heart stopped, skipped and then rolled over.

"Dad, just give him want he wants…" I pulled and felt the cold melt press harder.

"Listen to your son; he knows what he values…" Ian's eyes looked to my mother, and then up at a helicopter. I instantly thought of my girlfriend. Her blonde hair, her emerald green eyes, the long lasting tan on her face; the jeans that fit her perfectly…and the grassy picture in front of the Washington Monument lake. At this point, I could she her crying, sobbing over a bloody, unmoving body. My brain focused in, realizing the horror film it was replaying was making me the dead, cold, unattractively pale star. Dad dug into his pocket and handed Ian information. It was directions…codes to finding the page.

"Now give me my son." Dad's eyes burned with an almost unnatural desire to have me safely in his arms. Ian violently pushed me to the ground, new grass stains forming in my once bright blue jeans…and blood slowly pouring from a wound in my neck as Ian walked toward the diner. He quick turned.

"This isn't over Ben!" The gun fired. It wasn't more then sixty seconds and I was on the ground…the once little blood I had lost turned into a whole lot. My shoulder was covered in the bright red. My sweatshirt was ruined and my jeans you could send to be recycled…or whatever they did with jeans now a days.

"Will…Will can you hear me?!" Hands ran down my cheeks and I could barely see Riley dialing something into a cell phone. Dad's face spun in seven different directions it seemed. Mom's frozen touch made me shutter.

"They'll be here in a few!" Riley's call sounded like it was 40 miles away. I faded out of consciousness. I eventually rolled my head to the side, winced in antagonizing pain, and fell into what seemed like a very uncomfortable sleep…that would transport me into my worst nightmare.

It wasn't more then a few days later and I was back in school, sitting in my desk; my shoulder tightly wrapped in gauze hidden under my shirt. I was almost hard to ignore, the sharp cut on my neck and the bruised arm gave some of my worst enemies the feeling of an advantage. Stephanie wasn't in for three days…no moral support…due to a meeting with the Prime Minster of England's daughter was having a tea party. She was 14 too…if I hadn't been shot I would probably would have been there with her…course until she brought the English girl her for her tea party, and I was dragged across D.C. to help show her around. By not Steph, but Claire;

"Do you insist on driving me insane? Or should I say mad?" I looked to Claire as she tried to get over the fact that I wore my torn jeans and skate shoes to such an event.

"You don't help the situation very much." Steph came waltzing down the White House pathway, in a pair of jeans and her soccer sweatshirt. Claire almost had a heart-attack. Little Britain was wearing the same; just she had a bit more of a formal sweater on.

"Hi Will, this is Emma, she's Prime Minister Howard's daughter." We shook hands and she seemed to be waiting to hand her a diamond bracelet but I looked past it.

"Hello Will; nice to meet you, I've heard a lot." She seemed to be looking for a bit more then my bruised arm…like maybe a bullet wound. Stephanie started down the far end of Pennsylvania Ave and headed toward the Library of Congress. Dad said he'd be there if I needed him…course my luck I might as well invited him to walk with us. Mom was on business in Spain and Riley was with Dad. I could have swore that Mom had the secret service keeping tabs on me…yea…It was probably Steph they were tabbing. We headed up the stairs of the Library and Stephanie showed her around as I headed off to find my dad. He was in the history section with Riley, looking up something to do with Britain's past.

"Hey son, you having fun?" I shook my head and peaked over his shoulder.

"Claire's being extra annoying, claiming they should go shopping." I pressed my thumb into the wrapped shoulder to make sure everything was still in one piece. "Emma seems like a nice person though…" Dad's eye floated from me to the book, then to the laptop screen where Riley would Google the things they need more info on.

"Good to know, they are coming over for dinner tonight, your mother arranged it with Howard's wife…so they can talk about Emma's education and her family a bit."

"Will Riley be joining us…?" The man I considered my big brother looked up, his dorky glasses twitched with his excitement…this meant homework done in twenty minutes and Rock Band the rest of the night.

"Yea, why not…none of your stupid pranks like you did with the President." Riley promised he wouldn't…but it meant we were going to do it anyway. Stephanie came into the room with Emma in tow.

"Will, we're heading to the mall…Claire can't wait anymore…if you don't want to come…I'll see you tonight?" I simply nodded and eventually realized it required a bit more then a nod.

"I'll come…I could use a few hours at the mall anyway." After saying that, I don't think it was more then twenty seconds and we were in a store, surrounded by perfumes and pink. I had the worst headache in the world and my Pepsi was almost drained through the bottom of the paper cup.


	3. Chapter Four

Claire ran from store to store with the new friend while I just strolled down corridors like nothing was really going on. Stephanie has been talking to Claire for a little while following her into stores and also buying some little things. The biggest thing I was pretty sure was lip gloss. I felt a little uneasy being out after being kidnapped, shot and mental intimidated; it wasn't one of those things you could just roll off your back and be like…be there done that.

"Will? You're obviously bored…" Stephanie ran her fingers through her hair.

"Obviously…If you don't mind, I'm going to head out; I'll see you around 6:30 right?"

"Yea…see you then." She turned back into the store and found Claire and Emma continued shopping. She was looking at jeans before the mall disappeared from my sight and the trees of my street returned. The wind played with my bangs like they were leaves in the fall, Dad's Explorer was in the driveway when I turned into the gate. Mom's Lexus was right behind me, home from her Spanish tour.

"Hi Will." She seemed like she was ready to party…she didn't drink so she couldn't have been drunk; ok maybe I was losing it at that point. "Is Stephanie doing well?"

"Yea…she has this new friend from England…Emma, her, and, Claire are like so excited about having her here in the United States." Mom's light blonde hair caught the wind before the front door clicked shut and Dad's yell from the living room scared us both.

"Dad!" I sprinted into the room, He wasn't on the floor, but a black masked person stood in the middle of the room. His eyes, icy blue. Riley was knocked out on the carpet…Mom held me to her body, fearful for the both of us as Dad received another nasty blow to his gut. I tried to wriggle from my mom as she stepped back into the kitchen trying to protect me from getting hurt.

"Surrender the boy or you all will die." His voice changer worked well…he sounded like those creepy people that normal call when they want money; deep and robotic. I eventually got out of my mother's grasp and whipped open the drawer where Dad always had a gun. I clicked the safety clasp and held my finger stead on the trigger and aimed for right between the man's eyes.

"Leave. Now. Tell your boss that we don't have anything he desires…" He chuckled.

"Even if you shot you'd miss…your aim has yet to be mastered."

"I hit whatever I aim at." I pulled the trigger.

"Will!" I dropped the gun and watched the man fall…the stun bullet hitting him right between the eyes. His body hitting the ground with a violent thud; Dad leaned up and Mom wrapped her arms around me, sobbing hard into my shoulder.

"Never…do that again Will…" Her words broken in between her sobs as Dad got up groaning came over to comfort her. I took a few deep breaths. My family has been hurt too many times for me to take anymore of this crap. It hurt me to see my mother, the strongest women I knew in tears and my dad, the bravest man in the universe broken down to nothing. I saw Riley's face before he had fallen and he was angry. Riley was like my old brother…protecting me if I needed it. Dad and I worked together to get him in his bedroom. I tied the intruder up…using Boy Scout knots and wire ties. He wasn't really a man, he was a little taller then me. I pulled the mask from his face and found Brad, basketball, baseball, football jock; eyes closed and heavy in my arms. I dragged him into my room and set him in my desk chair and rubbed the last of the stunning liquid from his forehead. About five minutes later, he was moaning and groaning, amazingly not struggling yet.

"You done causing my family harm Brad?" His eyes danced around the room then to my empty hands and serious face. "Cause I've had enough of you both school and home." He had egged my house on Halloween, which I helped return the favor with some nasty paper plaster crap. He had nearly hurt Stephanie one night and had almost killed her in a set up drunken driving crash. At this point I considered Stephanie family.

"No Willy Wonka…you have a problem with that?" I couldn't hold myself back; I hit him square in the jaw. He just laughed it off. "You'll have to do better squirt." The twine I had used had already been cut and he was half way through the wire tie when I socked him. He tugged and they snapped, his arm locking my head into his desired position and his legs kicking my feet out from underneath me knocking me to the ground where the thud could only be heard from the garage. "You are strong for a little sucker…" He held my arms back with his other arm as I pulled and tugged trying to get away from him or let alone hit him. I was getting sick of consistently being the target. It was my dad's history they wanted…not mine.

"Help…!" I managed to squeak out…air to my lungs was cutting off fast and my heart was working overtime. I could barely breathe. "Please…"

"I don't think anyone heard that…which is good for you and me." Brad dug into his pockets pulling a sliver set of handcuffs out. He slammed my body into a steel pole of loft like bed and chained my wrists far behind my back along one of the rungs. The pain of my arms being stretched to that limit burned in my shoulders. I glanced to the alarm clock whose digital time read 5:45. With Stephanie and the president due there in 45 short minutes…all hell could break loose. He dug into his backpack, pulling out his cell phone, sweatshirt and taser. In every nightmare of being held against my will, it involved a simple little room with no windows and no doors…slowly they would starve me…eventually on the verge of death I find a way out. This time it didn't look that way. A roll of black duct tape was rolled in my direction. I couldn't think of what might happen…I could only think of how I could possibly alert anyone. I strained against the cuffs and attempted at moving my body away from Brad. It was no use anyway. He cuffed my ankles back…putting me uncomfortably on my knees.

"I never liked you Will…even when you threw the winning pitch at the White House little league game…never have. I'm not planning on hurting your family…yet. You are just bait for me…currently."

"She won't listen to you…she's a lot smarter then that!" I yelled, trying to get someone's attention. He held the roll of tape in his hands, pulling a strip from the continuous feed and forcing my head still. He pressed it against my lips and wound it tightly around my head and the pole behind it. I couldn't shake him off…it was my worst nightmare. Brad's eyes filled with evil joy as he stood up…admiring his work.

"She can't hear you Will…she'll wonder where you went, your parents will as well. But at that lavish party down stairs…I just tell her you were flown off to Spain…for a meeting with a model." I couldn't hold back my retaliating words…they didn't sound like anything but a bad song tune. He cackled as I looked away from him and relaxed as much as I could. "Accept it Will…good…my uncle would admire you…" He worked for Ian…which ticked me off to the point where I wanted to scream and struggle…but I chose not to, it was pointless anyway. He flicked the lights out, bolted the door shut and climbed out the window. I could hear faint voices from the hall. Stephanie's above everyone else's. It hurt not to see her. Brad's voice blended with his father's, who was Chief of D.C. police. I pulled on the restraints again…nothing happened but a mental strain. The music started and Stephanie was standing on our balcony…her voice was close and I could hear it so clear. I tensed.

"Where could he possibly be Claire? It's his house, and Jason is here." I pulled and struggled the keys were gleaming on my desk…across the room…if I could get the tape off.

"MMMMMMMPHHH! MPH!" I clanged the cuffs on the metal and pulled. Maybe Brad was right…maybe I was going to die. Stephanie's heels clicked on the floor. Claire spoke.

"He's no idiot…he'll come." Steph's shadow showed under the crack in the door…the knob turned…it was locked. She dug for the key on my door frame…she knew I locked the door when I got ticked off and it creaked open. The light creeping across the desk where the key evilly sparkled, Brad's deep voice could be heard through the floor talking with his dad and my parents about security. The power in my room clearly was turned off…she flipped the switch and nothing happened.

"Will?"

"Mmmmmph." She seemed to jump at the sound.

"Will?!" I wanted to say calm down it's me…but couldn't.

"Mmmmm." She looked stunned when she found me. Her fingers pulled away the tape.

"Steph…Thank You." She looked me down, and back up to my face.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault." She went to the desk and snatched the keys.

"Who did this Will?" The cuffs fell right off my hands and my ankles.

"Brad." I simply hugged her…"You look fantastic." I whispered.

"Thanks." It didn't take more then a thirty second look into each other's eyes and our lips met for the first time.


	4. Chapter Five

She looked me down and smiled sweetly after we had kissed. Being friends for awhile you would have thought it would have never happened. Her eyes glittered in the little light that was in the room.

"People are going to start to think you can simply be attacked."

"Brad had to go through a pretty decent fight before I let him have what he wanted." Stephanie pushed her hair away from her face.

"You gave up?"

"Not gave up…forced to give up or I wouldn't be talking to you right now…" She seemed a little shocked with that…she could hear the weakness in my voice, the deep breaths like I had just ran a marathon, and the wincing as she ran her hand down my neck. Footsteps came down the hall, they picked up as they seemed to notice the door being open.

"You have to hide…in my closet now Steph!" The strain on my voice was hard on my lungs, the pain in Stephanie's face hurt more, but she did what she was told. I pulled open my desk drawer and removed the pellet gun. Brad stood in the door way flanked by two other members of the wrestling team. His face angry as hell and the two others didn't seem like happy campers either. I pressed the outside lock on the closet and watched as the wrestling captain looked at me like I had too many plastic surgeries.

"How in the world did you get out…?" I slid the pellet gun into the back pocket of my jeans while backing up. "You were held there so tight…"

"I'm took a few magic-classes!" I slammed my foot into the hard rock muscles in his chest. Probably hurt me more then him, but the OOF! Was reassuring. The two thugs next to him sprung next as their boss lay on the ground trying to figure out what happened. One dove for my feet the other bear hugged me. I struggled for a few seconds…satisfying the two of them before becoming a dead weight and forcing up, breaking the bear hug and kicking the other hold my ankles in the face.

"Two down…one sweaty beast to go."

"You're a goner…" He growled picking a stance to tackle me in.

"Prove it." He jumped; I ducked; diving across the wooden floor eventually standing back up as the beast tried to pull himself out of my window frame. I looked around, I had one wrestler knocked out, and one in the window…I knew there were three.

"Will!" The voice was panicked and frightened; her new muffled cries became more urgent as I turned around. There was my third victim, no longer the one begging for mercy…

"Leave her out of this Brad…please just leave her alone." I had already been bad boyfriend enough…consistently being the hostage or captive made making dates a little difficult.

"Did you hear that Stephanie? He wants you left alone…" She squirmed...his hand around her face tightened.

"I mean that NOW Brad!" I was practically growling at him…"You've already hurt me…why not finish the job?! Take me to your uncle, let him attempt at killing me for my father's treasure; Let her live and if you have to kill me." Stephanie's eyes were traumatized; she didn't like seeing me hurt and I refused to have hurt in my place…I was to take my father's pain; as if enough of it hadn't been inflicted on me. Brad shoved Steph to the ground and she collected herself there, a bit of blood coming from her lip but nothing major.

"I'm done hurting you Will…but I do want you to watch something." He led me into the hall to the balcony, where a gunshot rang from a hidden location. One body hit the floor with the sickening thud, one body had the blood forming on his favorite formal white shirt, that one body; belonged to Benjamin Franklin Gates.

"You're a filthy murder…a splitting image of your uncle!" My rage took over like gas fire. My hands on his throat, Brad's eyes begging for me to let go; "Leave my family alone! Haven't you learned enough?! Taken enough from me?!" I couldn't gain control; my fists connected with his jaw, his nose, his blood soaked my hands.

"Will stop! Stop it! Will!" Stephanie wrestled my arms back away from him, she held me roughly close to her as I returned to normal. Brad was wiping the blood from his face as he came at me. Stephanie immediately backed off, afraid of getting in the way of something. He swung and missed, swung and missed, but when he made contact, it the pain and the blood came instantly. I lay sprawled out on the floor for about two seconds before getting up and went to go back at him.

"You're wrong Will! I'm not a killer!" I was screaming again…the crowd below focused on the two of us.

"Wrong?! Oh no…You just openly shot my father! How am I supposed to believe you're not a killer?!" I huffed and puffed furiously; "You will always be known as the one who shot him Brad…in the cold blood of your uncle. You could have easily stopped yourself…you could have easily not tied me up and left me to die…You could have easily left Stephanie alone!" As I went to kick, he grabbed my foot and my head slammed painfully into the floor.

"I haven't killed a soul…I've gotten close, but never have. Now I know what it's like to see the pain people fall into, the rage that boils inside of them! The satisfaction of seeing it…is bliss…the glee I had after I had you held against your will…helplessly in my hands; or when Stephanie simply struggled against my strength…the power you feel. You've felt it Will, don't tell me you didn't like it…you would have killed me if Stephanie hadn't pulled you back." My lungs forced up blood, my body screaming in pain, my ankle locked in the iron hold of Brad's hand.

"I…have the strength to stop. The power to stop…I wouldn't have killed you Brad…" More blood came from my lungs. "Your life…no matter how truly screwed up it is…too hard for me to take…it would hurt me more then you." His face didn't change; He slid me into the wall…hard. Stephanie slid to my side, her eyes full of tears and face puffy. He turned and headed through the shocked crowd…and out the front door; his own, disturbed and disgraced father right behind him.

"Will…" My eyelids hung heavy as she lifted me into her arms, I grunted and groaned in intense pain and got up. I headed down to where my father's barely breathing body lie. The President looked astonished over at me.

"You have real heart boy…" He said, running his hand down my back.

"It takes…a lot more then it looks." Dad jerked with a new breath of air. The EMTs rushed in putting him on a stretcher and rolling him away, Mom in tow. Everyone else left; leaving me alone. I headed into my parents' room; lay in the bed; in pain. Eventually falling into a sleep…which I could have only wished to never wake up.

"Will…" His voice was still so alive, even after being shot. "If you can hear me…I want you to know I'm alive, and that Brad is in prison…"


	5. Chapter Six

I eventually woke up, not in pain until I was down in the kitchen. Dad was asleep on the couch and perfectly fine, from what it looked. Mom was huddled at the kitchen table with Riley, with her cup of coffee and Riley with his laptop. I paid no attention to them; I simply pulled a can of soda out and went into my own room. I didn't feel like doing anything…eventually I was reminded to head off the school…

"Will, are you ok?" Jessica, cheerleader clone crying out when I opened my locker…she tried to see if she could flirt with me. "I was at your parent's gala last night."

"I'm fine Jess…I really don't want to relive it." The slam of my locker scared her off. Jason knew better then to talk about it…

"Dude, game tonight…you're going right?"

"Yea Jason…I'm going, I need the stress reliving powers of kicking something." He laughed slightly.

"You kicked a lot of stuff last night too…" He mumbled, but I still heard him. He seemed to notice that I had, and decided not to take it any farther. I didn't see Steph but everyone saw Brad; his growling face and handcuffed arms being forced down the hallway. He slowed when he saw me, my eyes were fierce…his seemed to be trying to burn a hole in my head. They forced him forward.

"Get a life Brad…" I heard someone say a little too loud…I though Brad was going to take the kid's arm off. Eventually, Claire was hovering over me like I needed some kind of nurse.

"Go away Claire…"

"You need my presence so you don't hurt anyone."

"I'm not going to hurt anyone…I have a bit more control then that."

"Oh please Will…the dread in your eyes and the angered look on your face has everyone on their-''

"I said I wasn't going to hurt anyone Claire!" My hand shaking to entire table; she shuttered with my growl at her. Everyone was looking at me as I pushed Jessica out of my way to get out the door. The sun beat down on my back as I headed home far earlier then normal. Mom and Dad would disapprove…and I wouldn't care. I had a horrible night and the past few weeks hadn't made it any better.

"Will, you're home?" Dad looked at his watch and look curiously back up at me; "You have two and half hours of school left…what the hell are you doing here already?" All I had to do was look up at him, with the dark stare in my eyes that had been there since the night before.

"Dad, it would be a lot better if you didn't ask a lot of questions." Mom's car screeched up the driveway and she stormed inside.

"William Clark Gates!" Her voice was shrill and demanding; "Why in the free world are you home?!" Her face was red and the minute I looked up at her…I didn't get the same look I got from Dad; hers was more stunned the concerned. "Are you ok?"

"No." Simply answers kept me from breaking into little tiny pieces.

"Come here." She held me close to her body; I could hear her heart picking up speed as I just leaned into her. "Tell me what's wrong…"

"Nothing…" I paused a few second. "It's hard to think about Dad living after being shot." A.K.A. I was completely stressed out.

"Go try and take nap…you look like you've been punched a few more times."

The bruises on my neck were clearly visible to her which is why she cracked it that way…

"Oh shush up Mom." She laughed as I leaped onto the couch.

"How are you going to play soccer later?"

"If I'm restless wake me up…if I'm perfectly fine…leave me be." I hear Dad planning, Riley leaning over his shoulder and typing codes into his own laptop. Having Ian in town kept everyone on edge. Eventually I fell asleep soundly on the couch.

_Cloud hung over the D.C. sky as screams could be heard from down the hallways of my house. One belonging to my dad, the other from my mom. "Stop!" I yelled begging into the darkness. I couldn't run, I couldn't hide, and everything seemed to be crashing down on me. "Try and catch me Will…I dare you." Brad's sinister tone rang through the halls. Following another scream; "Will!" Her voice echoed in my mind. I ran through the never ending hallways trying to find her. The cries continued; dying for my help. Brad had Stephanie Logan against him, a gun to her head; my own gun trained on her heart. "Human shield…" I put my weapon down. His laughter echoed through the house again, and gunshot rang out. "NO!"_

"NO!" Bolting forward on the couch, Riley looked concerned.

"Chill there kid, you're perfectly alive."

"It's not me I'm worried about. How's Dad?" He ran his fingers through his hair.

"He's perfectly fine bud working like any normal human being." It was only 4:25 in afternoon, soccer was at 6:30. I pushed the bangs from my eyes and collapsed back into the soft leather.

"Hey Sleeping Beauty is finally awake. You do look a lot better son. Got any homework?" Dad's thinning hair didn't change much honestly; it just seemed a bit brighter today for some odd reason. His green eyes attempted at contact with my own blue, easier said then done.

"No. Mr. Collins refused to fight with me…he acted like my father…acting like he cared about my ordeal. Ms. Jackson turned into Grandma Gates and sucked up and Mrs. Washington suggested I leave." Mom was stepping into the room as I said that.

"I seriously don't blame the women. You looked extremely unattractive." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm kidding, now go to the park will you? Jason called and wants to- how do you put it? Chill?" I groaned with my mom's attempt at being cool and dragged my soccer bag out of the closet and headed for the Waverly Park.

Jason was there…rebounding a soccer ball off a thick brick wall as a few senators walked by. The girls sat by a tree; Claire, Jessica, Emma and last but not least Stephanie Logan.

"President Logan let you out of the White house to see me again even after last night?" She smiled as I tossed my bag down and turned to watch Jason hit the wall a few more times.

"He approves of your bravery…your anger issues…he had to think about." She giggled as I playfully pushed her.

"Bradley makes one boil over…up top Jason." A powerful shot at the wall knocked a stick or two off the top.

"You exploded last night dude…your brain was like in hell…" Claire fixed her make-up.

"How'd you get all the blood off your hands?" Everyone looked at the Vice Presidential Blondie.

"Soap, water and a little bit of scrubbing? How the heck else would I get it off?" I slammed another ball at the wall. Stephanie, Jess and Emma couldn't stop laughing. A few of the skater guys stopped when I thundered another ball at the wall.

"Hey Will, nice job with Brad."

"No problem guys but really…it's not that big of a deal."

"You're like a god now man." I'm lucky I understood their leader's friend...his hair hung more in his eyes then mine.

"Haha Thanks…I'll talk to you guys later?"

"Yea, good luck tonight." They headed off and Jason's jaw dropped.

"Since when were you cool with them?"

"Since now…jeez…who would have thought word spread that fast."

"Police call it self defense so…who gives a crap." Stephanie pushed the hair from her eyes.

"Can I kick it once?"

"Yea." I tossed the ball to her and she set up…hitting the wall just as hard as I did.

"What the---"

"JASON!"

"What?!"

"Public place…"

"Oh yea…" He needed to not say what he was planning to anyway...she was good. The sun eventually set, we won the soccer game and I drifted off the sleep again. This time the nightmare didn't seem like it was going to come back…Lucky for me…it didn't.


End file.
